Gum massaging and tooth polishing appliance



- Dec. 5, 1944. L. FULLE R 2,364,205

GUM MASSAGING AND TOOTH POLISHING APPLIANCE Filed April 17, 1943 w '1 I1 VV.NTOR. L554 IEL. FULLER Patented Dec. 5, 1944 FFiCE GUM MASSAGING AND TOOTH POLISHING PLIANCE Leslie ll. Fuller, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Application April 17 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in gum massaging appliances, and constitutes improvements on my prior Patents Nos. 2,217,439 and.

rubber cores or cups each encased in acovering or sheath of sponge rubber, which due to its absorbent properties is an excellent vehicle for carrying medicaments and in view of its velvet like softness provides an ideal contact surface for gum massage appliances that is neither harsh, irritating or injurious to the most tender, inflamed or congested tissue, will not cause injury, damage to or recession of the gum tissue. the massage appliance utilizing the well known "cupping action, through the establishment oi suction by partial vacuum. 1

'l'he principal object of the improvement con stituting this invention is to provide a sponge rubber sheath enclosing only the rims or" the velum rubber cups, instead of the whole surface oi said cups, and to further provide within the concavity of said cups a sponge rubber core of such structural shape as to define an annular channel between the said core and the inside wall of said sponge rubber sheath.

A further object of'this invention is to form both the rim of both the velum cupand the enclosing rim sheath with a concavity preferably coextensive with the longitudinal axis oi the an pliance,. the sponge rubber sheath, enclosing the rim of the cup being brought to a point at its periphery and the sponge rubber core within the 35 cup projecting up only to the level of the rim of the velum cup.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the'invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details or construction hereinafter described and claimed... it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the "invention.

A practical embodiment -of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Figure l is a side elevational view of one form gum massaging appliance.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof. I Figure 3 is a detail sectional of one of the massaging cups taken on line-F4, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to that of 1M3, Serial No. 483,389

(cl. IZHZJ) Figure 3 illustrating a modified form'of the invention, taken on line i-t, Figure 5.

Figure 5 is an end elevational of the massa ing cup.

Referring to the drawing, ill denotes the handle of a gum massaging appliance shaped somewhat in the form of a. conventional tooth brush handle, on the forward end of which is mounted a rowof gum massaging elements it, and which are fixed to said handle as by the rubber sheath It, or in any other suitable manner. in the form shown in Figure 1, four such massaging elements it are shown preferably spaced equal distances apart. As each of the massaging elemerits it are identical in form and structure a description of one will suflice.

The massaging element H, see Figure 3, comprises a velumrubber cup it of truncated conical form provided with a 'cup shaped concavity or recess it forming a tapered rim portion it. The cupit should be of such a length as to provide a requisite amount of flexibility thereof in all la oral or radial directions. E'ncasing the rim por tion it on each side thereof is a sponge rubber sheath it that extends a substantialdistance above the peripheral edge of said rim portion to define a flat edge portion ill. The outer wall surface it of the sheath it is of inverted truncated conical form, as clearly shown in Figure l, b the upper peripheral edge being preferably beveled as at it. The sponge rubber sheath it is vulcanized to or secured by cementation to the rim portion lb of the velum cup l3.

Disposed centrally within the concavity it of to that is preferably of truncated conical form, said core being seated directly on the bottom of said concavity and secured thereto in the same manner as the sheath it is secured to said cup It. 'The height of the core Ed is such that its upper end lies in the plane of the fiat edge por tion ll of the sponge rubber sheath It. Between the core and the inside wallof the sheath it is an annular channel 2! that forms a well or pocket for the reception of a medicament as will be hereinafter described.

,The advantages. of the above described construction in massaging device is: first, that by enclosing the rim only of the velum cup, instead 50 of the whole external surface as in my prior Patent No. 2,298,900, the massaging appliance is more easily cleaned after use and the advantages of having the surfaces that come in contact with the gum and teeth encased in sponge rubber are as retained; secondly, the sponge rubber core 20,

the velum rubber cup It is a sponge rubber core as herein constituted, is more flexible and makes better contact with the gum tissue; and third, the channel 2| between the core 20 and sheath It allows of greater flexibility of the cup l3 and constitutes a well to hold medicaments.

In the form 01' massaging appliance shown in Figures 4 and 5, only one massaging element Ha is shown. It is to be understood that a row of such elements II a are secured as by the sheath l2a, or in any other manner to the handle Illa in the same manner as that described above in the form shown in Figures 1 to 3. The massaging element Hm comprises a velum rubber cup l3a having a concavity Ha of the same general form as the velum cup [3. Secured to the rim portion l5 a is a sponge rubber sheath 5a and within the concavity Ha is-seated a sponge rubber core 20a, the upper end 25 of which lies in the plane of the peripheral edge of the velum cup l3a as clearly shown in Figure 4. Both the sponge rubber sheath I611 and the sponge rubber core 2041 are secured to the velum rubber cup as by vulcanization or cementation. The upper end of the sponge rubber sheath is provided with a tapered edge portion 26 which extends, above the plane of the core end 25. Formed between the core 20a and the'inside wall of the sheath 5a is an annular channel 2Ia forming a pocket or well for a medicament.

Formed centrally in the rim |5a of the velum rubber cup coextensive with the longitudinal axis of the handle Illa are opposed concavities 26,

and the sponge rubbe'r sheath lGa encasing the rim portion I 5a are likewise formed with opposed concavities 21 superimposed over-the rim. concavities 26. The concavity formations 26 and 21 providing a cupping down of the rim of the velum cup and the enclosing sponge rubber sheath permits of a more perfect confirmation of the sheathed cup to the contour of the teeth, and gum margins and to deeper penetration into the interdental spaces, the cup rims mushrooming out until the surface of the sponge rubber core comes into contact with the gum tissue. The massaging appliance 01' Figures 4 and 5 possesses the same advantages as enumerated above with reference to the massaging appliance of Figures 1, 2 and 3.

The gum massaging appliance as above described is eflicient in both gum massage and tooth cleaning and will not cause irritation, injury or gum recession.

It will be further noted that the same principle of construction; 1. e., a series of velum cups attached to a base, each cup being incased (except as to its base) in sponge rubber and having a sponge rubber core within its concavity and attached to the base of said concavity and having a channel between the sides of the core and the inner wall 01 the cup, may be applied to a general body massaging appliance in the form of a glove, mitten, pad or other suitable unit.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

A massaging appliance comprising a handle, a plurality of similar massaging elements arranged -in a row in spaced relation on an end portion of said handle, each massaging element comprising a rubber body fixed on said handle, said rubber body having a central cavity at its free upper end providing a rim portion, said rim portion having opposed concave cut-out portions, the cut-out portions of all of said massaging elements being aligned co-extensively with the longitudinal extent of said handle, a sponge rubber sheath encasing both sides of said rim portion and secured thereto, said sheath extending beyond the peripheral edge of said rim portion and having concave portions corresponding to and aligned with said cut-out portions, a sponge rubber coreseated in said cavity and secured to said rubber body, the upper free end of said core being substantially in the plane of the peripheral edge of said rim portion, said core and sheath having an annular channel therebetween.

LESLIE L. FULLER. 

